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IRIN’s Top Picks: Cats, Celebrities, Cold War and Climate Change 26 February 2015
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Our global network of specialist correspondents share some of their top picks of recent must-read research, interviews, reports, blogs and in-depth articles to help you keep on top of global crises. http://www.irinnews.org/Report/101161/IRIN-s-Top-Picks-Cats-Celebrities-Cold-War-and-Climate-Change

Drones for good?9 February 2015
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Most commonly associated with spying and military missions, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – or drones – for humanitarian purposes is the subject of both hype and caution, but experts argue they could play an important role in disaster relief as well as having other useful civilian applications.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report/101109/Drones-for-good

WEF: What to watch21 January 2015
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The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting kicks off in Davos on Wednesday. Here's a quick guide to some of the panels of interest to humanitarians. http://www.irinnews.org/Report/101031/WEF-What-to-watch

Nice and dirty – the importance of soil16 January 2015
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Be it laterite, loam, peat or clay, soil is life. It's the foundation of food security, and so the UN has declared 2015 as the year to draw attention to the stuff.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/101019/Nice-and-dirty-the-importance-of-soil

Iraqi farmers suffer as land seized by militants26 November 2014
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Across Iraq as the group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) continues to hold large swathes of land, there are concerns not just about farmers’ lost livelihoods, but also the impact that uncollected harvests and the lack of winter planting will have on Iraq’s food security into next year and beyond.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100886/Iraqi-farmers-suffer-as-land-seized-by-militants

PRESS RELEASE: IRIN humanitarian news service to spin off from the UN20 November 2014
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After nearly 20 years as part of the United Nations, the humanitarian news service IRIN is spinning off to become an independent non-profit media venture, with the support of a major private donorhttp://www.irinnews.org/Report/100867/PRESS-RELEASE-IRIN-humanitarian-news-service-to-spin-off-from-the-UN

Lake Malawi’s dwindling fish stocks threaten livelihoods7 November 2014
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A combination of overfishing and the use of illegal fishing gear has seen fish stocks in Lake Malawi dwindle to the point that local people's livelihoods and food security are now under threat.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100806/Lake-Malawi-s-dwindling-fish-stocks-threaten-livelihoods

Soaring charcoal prices hit livelihoods in Somaliland7 November 2014
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The livelihoods of vulnerable families, including the poor and internally displaced, in the self-declared independent republic of Somaliland have been hard hit by steep rises in the price of charcoal, the main fuel for cooking in the region.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100805/Soaring-charcoal-prices-hit-livelihoods-in-Somaliland

Climate change: Afghans on the front line4 November 2014
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As the UN warns that "irreversible" climate change is affecting more people than ever, in northern Afghanistan the story is all too familiar.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100791/Climate-change-Afghans-on-the-front-line

Post-flood health worries in Pakistan9 October 2014
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As waters continue to recede after floods that have affected more than 2.5 million Pakistanis, health experts warn a further crisis may be unfolding with thousands of communities at risk of vector and water-borne disease.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100702/Post-flood-health-worries-in-Pakistan

Dire conditions for Nigerian refugees in Cameroon6 October 2014
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Thousands of Nigerians who have fled attacks by Islamist militant group Boko Haram are crowded into Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon’s Far North Region, living in increasingly squalid conditions and at risk of contracting measles and other diseases, according to relief agencies.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100689/Dire-conditions-for-Nigerian-refugees-in-Cameroon

Zimbabwe's Tonga fishermen cut off from Zambezi lifeline29 September 2014
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The Tonga tribe, who make up the majority of the estimated 200,000 people living in rural Binga District in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland North Province, has for generations depended on fishing for food and an income. But unaffordable government levies are making their lives increasingly difficult.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100670/Zimbabwe-s-Tonga-fishermen-cut-off-from-Zambezi-lifeline

Resilience planning – some do’s and don’ts 26 September 2014
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Among the topics being discussed at the 2014 World Climate Week in New York City (22-26 September), are financing resilient cities, corporate actions for resilience, the ways data can support resilience moves, and women’s leadership in resilience planning.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100661/Resilience-planning-some-do-s-and-don-ts

How to boost food production in Africa15 September 2014
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Smallholder farmers, who hold over 80 percent of all farms in sub-Saharan Africa, are struggling to adapt to rapidly rising temperature and erratic rains, according to the 2014 Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR), released on 3 September in Addis Ababa.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100612/How-to-boost-food-production-in-Africa

“Super-flood” risk Pakistan11 September 2014
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Late monsoon rains in northern Pakistan have washed away communities, devastated farmland, and brought the risk of a “super-flood” moving across the country, leaving millions of people potentially vulnerable.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100596/Super-flood-risk-Pakistan

Heavy health toll of South Africa’s coal-fired power plants8 September 2014
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South Africa’s dependence on coal to generate 85 percent of its electricity is taking a substantial toll on human health, according to environmental groups. A recent report from Greenpeace estimates that up to 2,700 premature deaths are caused every year by air pollution emissions from the country’s 16 coal-fired power plants.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100584/Heavy-health-toll-of-South-Africa-s-coal-fired-power-plants

Afghan mining law “could strengthen armed groups”28 August 2014
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A new law designed to regulate Afghanistan’s nascent mining sector could increase corruption, lead to forced displacements and even allow armed groups to take control of the sector, transparency groups have warned.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100548/Afghan-mining-law-could-strengthen-armed-groups

Higher profile for climate change in new SDGs26 August 2014
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Following months of lobbying by poor island states and NGOs, action on climate change is to be a stand-alone goal among the 17 newly agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100538/Higher-profile-for-climate-change-in-new-SDGs

Fighting, fuel fires and fear in Tripoli26 August 2014
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Black smoke from a massive fuel depot fire has been lingering over the heads of the residents of the capital Tripoli for more than four weeks. While the smoke has lessened since July, the fuel fires, water-supply cuts and regular gun-fire are signs that the country is going through one of the most difficult periods since the 2011 revolution.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100539/Fighting-fuel-fires-and-fear-in-Tripoli

Record harvest loss, food shortages hit dry Sri Lanka21 August 2014
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Sri Lanka's government is scrambling to ease the impact of record harvest losses on millions of farmers as the country enters its tenth month of an acute dry spell.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/100523/Record-harvest-loss-food-shortages-hit-dry-Sri-Lanka